Thirty former soldiers serving time in Northern Ireland’s prisons have spent the past two years hand-crafting clay military cap badges for a unique exhibition unveiled this week. The project highlights both the artistic talents of incarcerated veterans and the growing recognition of their specific support needs within the criminal justice system.
The project, titled The Badge is Everything, features 40 stylised wooden A-frame structures, each supporting a unique cap badge fashioned from earthenware clay and finished with gold, bronze, or silver glaze. Each piece incorporates three words chosen by the ex-servicemen to reflect their military experience, offering what organisers describe as a window into the intersection of military service and imprisonment.
From Isolation to Collective Identity
The initiative emerged from concerns about isolation among veteran prisoners at Maghaberry Prison. Governor Tracy Megrath explained that the veteran’s hub was established after a Senior Prison Officer—himself a former British Army serviceman—noticed an increasing number of ex-armed forces prisoners who appeared particularly vulnerable and reluctant to engage with standard prison activities.
Tracy Megrath said: “The introduction of a veteran’s hub at Maghaberry for prisoners from an armed forces background came about through one of our own Senior Prison Officers, who previously served in the British Army. That officer, who worked with the Safety and Support team, identified an ever-increasing number of individuals in custody that were ex armed forces – and a group which felt particularly vulnerable, would isolate and were reluctant to engage in anything meaningful.
“He created a hub that would bring this group together and linking in with SSAFA – the armed forces charity – now works collaboratively with them supporting their wellbeing while in custody.
“The Northern Ireland Prison Service works with many partners in its rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners, and among them in recent years has been SSAFA. Together we provide essential support to this community in prison.”
Art, Mental Health and Resettlement
The project represents a collaboration between the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Start360 (which runs the RDV veteran support service), the Prison Arts Foundation, and SSAFA, with funding provided by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. Research consistently demonstrates that arts programmes in prisons can reduce reoffending, improve mental health, and build the interpersonal skills necessary for successful resettlement.
Lucy Turner, Prison Art Foundation Artist in Resident at Maghaberry and Magilligan, said: “The exhibition provides a poignant glimpse into military life, its impact, its realities. As a single collective identity, it shifts the focus away from the individuals and toward a shared experience and reinforces the spirit of teamwork.”
Tommie Linton MBE, Prevention, Intervention Practitioner with Start360, said: “We provide a non-judgmental support service to veterans no matter what the circumstances, and this project came about as a collaboration between Start360 and the Prison Arts Foundation. It was introduced to encourage veterans to think about not only their mental health but also to seek the wide range of support that is available to them, once they are released back into the community.”
Key Facts at a Glance
- Participants: 30 ex-soldiers from Maghaberry and Magilligan prisons
- Duration: Two years in development (2024–2026)
- Output: 40 unique cap badges mounted on wooden A-frame structures
- Materials: Earthenware clay, kiln-fired and glazed in old gold, bronze, or silver
- Funding: Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
- Delivery partners: Northern Ireland Prison Service, Start360, RDV Service, Prison Arts Foundation, and SSAFA
- Context: Research suggests approximately 10% of the Northern Ireland prison population may be military veterans
Unanswered Questions and Broader Context
While the exhibition highlights individual creativity, several practical details remain unclear. The Department of Justice has not specified the exhibition’s public venue, its duration, or whether the artworks will be sold to benefit the creators or retained by the prison service. Additionally, with the Northern Ireland prison population reaching record levels—averaging 1,911 daily in 2024/25—the scalability of such intensive creative programmes remains uncertain.
The project arrives amid renewed focus on veteran welfare, including the recent launch of the Veterans Support Line NI by the Department for Communities and a £20,000 grant to Start360 from the Army Benevolent Fund announced in May 2026. However, the specific budget for this arts project has not been disclosed, making it difficult to assess cost-effectiveness against other rehabilitation interventions.
Questions for Stakeholders
- How will the prison service evaluate whether this creative intervention reduces reoffending rates among participating veterans compared to standard rehabilitation programmes?
- What employment pathways exist for these veterans post-release to utilise the craftsmanship skills developed during the project, and will the exhibition generate income for the creators?
- How does this initiative connect with the newly launched Veterans Support Line NI (0800 158 5556) to ensure continuity of mental health support upon release?
- Given that veterans in custody often present complex needs including PTSD and substance misuse, should similar creative programmes be extended to other vulnerable cohorts within the prison population, or does the military connection provide unique therapeutic value?
What to Watch For
The exhibition represents a significant step in recognising veterans as a distinct group within the prison population with specific cultural identities and support requirements. As research indicates that veterans leaving service often face abrupt “transition cliffs” rather than gradual adjustment to civilian life, projects that maintain connection to positive aspects of military identity—such as teamwork and craftsmanship—may offer valuable psychological anchors.
Those seeking support can contact the Veterans Support Line NI on 0800 158 5556, or reach Start360’s RDV service via [email protected] or 0771 928 0931. Video footage of the exhibition is available via the Department of Justice YouTube channel.